Cape verde Flora

After the the islands were born as the result of ancient underwater volcanic activity, the wind, the ocean currents and birds undertook on them to provide the archipelago with animal and plant species.

Over time the plant species have adapted to the existing topography and microclimates becoming different from their ancestors. It is known that in times the vegetation was lush although with no forest rich in timber and large trees.

The action of man on nature caused the vegetation to suffer a very dramatic shift. The establishment of cultivated fields and the diversion of water courses, the introduction of new pasture plants and livestock facilities, particularly goats, and also the cutting of trees and shrubs were so fast that the natural vegetation could not regenerate by itself.

﻿Since the independence of Cape Verde from Portugal, considerable efforts were made by the authorities towards the protection of the archipelago endemic species and the reforestation of hillsides in order to retain the soils exposed to erosion by the constant winds.

The Cape Verdean flora, although not very rich, differs from island to island and according to the altitudes in the different islands.

It is in the Macaronesian species that lies the highest percentage of endemic plant species of Cape Verde, especially the Marmulano, the Dragon Tree, with the highest concentration in São Nicolau and Brava, the Cape Verdean Date Palm, the Cow Tongue, the Tortolho the Lantisco and Losna.﻿

The species of tropical Africa, especially those from the Sahelian areas, predominate in the lower levels. In this zone there is a transitional vegetation between the tree and herbaceous savanna with dry relatively undifferentiated types, and the tree savanna with abundant Acacia trees and other wetland species. These are plants of Sahelian origin as Calabaceira the Poilão, Tamarindo, Figueira Brava, the Zimbrão, the Hawthorn, the Bomber, the Barnelo.

Meanwhile, in the higher altitudes, between 400 and 1,400 meters, we have the humid or sub-humid vegetation, with tropical crops.The plants introduced by man are over 200 species, with a provenance of almost all continents, cultivated for food are maize, beans, fava beans, sweet potato, the common potato, tomato and others.

In addition to the plants mentioned above, there are still others like the Cape Verde Lantuna, the Carrapato, the Sisal, the Purghera, the Castor, the Vine, the Sugar cane, Apple Tree, Orange Tree and the Fig tree from Portugal.

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